Having done the most scratch building to date on the Chally I am working on leads me to a questions. When I need to cut strips or even larger pieces… Is there a better way than scoring with a rule and sharp plate and snapping the piece off? I always get a ridge from the blade.
That’s the nature of the beast. Scoring causes a ridge to form as the surface is gouged and pushed to the side. There is just enough heat produced to keep that ridge intact. A quick swipe with the back of a blade is usually enough to remove it once the pieces are cut and separated.
The only way to avoid the ridge is to cut with a saw, but that takes time and has it unique difficulties when doing long pieces.
The thinner the blade and the more passes does help, but will not completely eliminate that ridging effect.
Marc, what if you scored it a few times on each side with a scribing tool before hitting it with the knife. The scriber won’t just push it to the side, but actually remove the material, eliminating any plastic that would otherwise be just pushed to the side and form a ridge.
Thanks guys.
Mike… jeez why didn’t I thin of that. Worth a try for sure.
Thin sheet styrene can be cut with ordinary scissors without leaving a ridge or burr. Also its fast and easy.[I]
OK, you guys gotta stop coming up with ideas so simple I should have thought of them myself[whstl]
Ok guys here is my two cents go to a good sewing store get you a cutting guide there made by Fiskers, mine is 10’ long by 4’ wide. It will take sheet plastic up to 22’ wide lay your sheet plastic in the cutter lay the attached ruler on top of the sheet . Then push the built in cutter across the sheet you are cutting and presto clean cut no burrs no ridges, I got mine at Jo-Anns fabricks store. ACESES5[whstl][snWow]
You can also go to the Hobby Lobby in the scrap book section and use one of the paper and foam cutters as well. They will score and depending on thickness slice right through w/o a ridge as well.
Paul
Paul I made one goof when I wrote my reply last night I stated my cutter would cut sheets up to 22’ wide that should have been 22cm. or 8’. ACESES5[sn0ps]
Ditto “Scribe & snap” with a either a scribing tool or even the back of the ol’ #11 X-Acto blade… I picked up a set of 5 dental picks at Hobby Lobby for about 11.00 and they all scribe quite nicely, but I still use the knife blade more often than not… Been able to scrbe & snap materials as narrow as 2 mm without a ridge…
I recently acquired a panel scriber.Then I found out it was great for cutting any sheet plastic and NO RIDGES.This made me think ,"what have I been doing without this tool all these years,“RUFFLES” weren,t the only thing in my shop with ridges! tankerbuilder
I score, and it always leaves a ridge. I noticed that it is easier to scrape away the ridge before I snap because the unsnapped sheet styrene acts as a perfect levelling guide. I use a full blade, no handle, to level off the work.
Scrape, don’t cut.
After I’ve returned the sheet to it’s formerly flat self, I snap.
Of course, the Missus hates it when I snap.
Yet another simple idea I could come up with n my own[:(]